Prussia still existed until 1945/49, like all other former independent German states (although there could have been a reform in the 30s, when the Nazis took over, i am not sure at the moment), as parts of the unified Germany (and they still had their old rulers, at least in the monarchy, before the Weimarer Republic). The autonomy was ended by the nazis, before it became restored again (although not as strong as before) with the foundation of the federal republic in 1949. As for the Dortmund part: large parts of Westfalia, the Rhineland, Northern Germany, Hessia and Saxonia-Anhalt belonged to the Prussian Kingdom, so when there is a club called Borussia (or Preußen), the city was a part of prussia (i don't know an example where this wasn't the case).
I think this is a silly reply mate. And somewhat unfair as well. Basically Bayern had a very long period where things were really stagnant. They were ahead in last year's Bundesliga by so much that lethargy set in. In addition to this Ballack has been playing injured. Hence we have an 8 cylinder car playing like a spluttering 2 cylinder Trabbi. However I have seen a dramatic ypturn in the way the team has been playing ever since they announced that we would be playing Real Madrid. Everyone wants to be there against them. Suddenly the passion, and clinical finishing, is back. And we have coolly beaten Stuttgart. And dispatched lowly Freiburg 6-0. Anyone who writes FCB off against 'la bestia negra' in Madrid and Munich, writes them off at their peril. Madrid are scared of us. We may not always play the most attractive football. But we can trouble Madrid like no side in Europe I feel. (Whether we will remains to be seen.....) Remember everyone, in the years when I started to support FCB we had very average players such as Dieter Frey Michael Sternkopf etc etc playing in our side. Now we have world stars like Ballack, Makaay, Lizarazu and Kahn. Willllllllliiiiii Sagnol moved from Monaco to Bayern; he was immediately called up to the French national team. Yes, I'd like to see guys from our highly successful amateur side (Jarolim, Bierofka, Lahm, Di Salvo, Misimovic) get a game, just as Hargreaves Feulner and Schweinsteiger have done. But in a big club of world stature you have to accept that you will not always be playing every week. Luckily Hitzfeld's rotation policy means that most of the squad gets a run at some stage. Cast barbs at FC Bayern Muenchen as much as you like. But compare us to the other big club in Europe at the moment. -Globally speaking we do NOT pay extra-exorbitant sums of money for players like Real Madrid or Barcelona. (Makaay would have gone for heaps more had it not been for the negotiating skill of Rummenigge and Hoeness.) -Our players get paid every week GUARANTEED _The club makes a profit each year. -our supporters can still stand at matches without security hassling them -tickets are still affordable to teenagers etc etc unlike in countries like England - We don't change shirts EVERY season. So fans have time between shirt changes (Not that it is uncool in Germany to wear a shirt fron past years to matches-in England for example it definitely is!) -We will be moving into a state of the art facility in a couple of years. Fans will still be able to stand there. JF in Sydney
Borussia Dortmund is the football team with the highest average attendance worldwide as far as I know. But they are BY FAR not the most loyal fans, and I also don't rate fans by their mass. In my opinion the clubs with the most loyal fans are: Fortuna Düsseldorf Schalke 04 Dynamo Dresden St. Pauli i know i've probably forgotten a few clubs. just remember size of stadium != loyalness of fans!
2001/2002 - Maroon/Black Opel 2002/2003 - Maroon/Black T-Mobile 2003/2004 - Red/White T-Mobile 3 different jerseys in 3 years I beleive.....
What FCB do is alternate between the home and away shirts. This season a new home shirt was released, which is instantly popular with the fans because it is RED & WHITE, the clubs TRUE colours. The all white "White ballet" away strip was launched last year. It will probably be replaced next year. Like Man U and Liverpool a new Champions League strip was released last season. It is basically a re-sponsored version of the 2001 CL Winners strip, but with a blue collar. But with T-Mobile replacing Opel as Trikot-Sponsor, all the shirts had to be re-done anyway. Including the unpopular "maroc" one they have worn for 2 season before this one. If this was Merchandise United, there would have been 3 separate strips EACH season. That is what I'm getting at. JF
Maybe aesthetically they may look OK, but the club colours and ROT und WEISS. We must be wearing red and white at home. No ifs, no buts. Club colours are NOT for sale, because it is trendier to wear a dark navy or burgundy home shirt than wear red. They don't have the New York Yankies wearing burgundy, do they? JF